Accusing the State government for not privatising liquor sales in Tamil Nadu, actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan said, “liquor sale is not the government’s job.”
In a statement, the Makkal Needhi Maiam leader asked the government to hand over liquor sales to private sector to curtail alcohol consumption.
Tamil Nadu government’s dependence on liquor sale is huge as revenue generated by Tasmac for 2019-20 was nearly ₹31,000 crore of which about ₹6,600 crore was from Excise revenue and ₹22,000 crore from VAT.
The State-owned Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) has a monopoly over wholesale and retail vending of alcoholic beverages in Tamil Nadu. It controls the Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) trade in the State. It was incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 on May 23,1983.
Tasmac, which has been doing retail business from November 2003, procures IMFL and beer stocks locally from 11 IMFL manufacturers and seven beer manufacturers in the State. It also procures wine locally from one manufacturer, whilescotch, whisky and few wine brands from other States. Tasmac also engages in retail sale of foreign liquor, according to information provided on the Tasmac website.
Distribution of IMFL and beer to the licensees is being done through the 43 depots of Tasmac located throughout the State.